This invention relates to tables and chairs used in medical settings. Medical examination and treatment tables and chairs tend to be relatively heavy and thus can be difficult to move once in place in an exam room or office. It is often necessary, however, to clean around and under such tables and chairs, especially, for example, after a biohazard spill. Many tables or chairs have stationary bases, which are inexpensive but require special lifting and/or moving equipment since they are generally too heavy to lift or even slide manually. One approach for improving mobility has been to include swiveling and locking caster wheels on each corner of the base of the table or chair. However, such designs tend to be expensive, and the larger bases required to accommodate caster wheels on each corner of the base can create tripping hazards for patients and medical care providers. Another option, as described in published application EP 0366365 A2 entitled, “Improvements in surgical and/or examination tables” by Spruill et al., is to include four retractable caster wheels on the base of the table. However, having all the caster wheels be retractable increases the cost and complexity of the table.
Therefore, there is a need for medical examination tables and chairs that can be safely and easily switched between stationary and mobile states and that can be produced relatively simply and inexpensively.